Audi A3 Sedan review

Audi A3 Sedan Review The latest tweaks to the COE system affecting Category A cars (to qualify for a Cat A COE, a car now needs to produce no more than 130bhp, along with its engine displacing below 1600cc) that kicked in from February are intended to exclude “entry-level” luxury cars from competing with more affordable Japanese and Korean offerings for an already very small COE “pie”.

Taking these relatively pricey small cars out of the equation, it was hoped, would bring Category A premiums down. Unfortunately, apart from a small dip, premiums in Category A are still as high as they’ve been for the past few years, thanks in part to the authorities tightening COE supply further, and partly because some premium cars, like the Audi A3 Sedan here fitted with a 122bhp 1.4-litre engine (to say nothing of the Mercedes-Benz CLA180), have managed to “cheat” the system.

While it might be easy to pass it off as “just” a sedan version of the A3 Sportback (Ingolstadt-speak for a hatchback), the A3 “twins” are more fraternal than identical. In addition to sharing almost no body panels, the four-door notchback is 11mm wider and 146mm longer than the five-door hatchback.

However, the interior is a rather familiar place. All the fittings from the A3 Sportback are present, including the round air-conditioning vents, 3D-effect dashboard inlays and the retractable infotainment screen that pops up from the dashboard. Audi A3 Sedan Review 1 That also means rear-bench headroom in the A3 Sedan, as with the five-door A3, is a little lacking. I found myself brushing the roof while seated there, and I stand 1.76m tall, hardly what anyone would call giraffe-like.

That said, this isn’t a car that you prefer to be a passenger in, because you really want to be behind the wheel. It’s based on the VW Group’s rather accomplished MQB platform, which sets a high watermark in the automotive world for sheer chassis rigidity. The use of aluminium in its body also means the A3 Sedan is fairly light, tipping the scales at 1235kg.

Such is the capability of the chassis on offer that I feel the car could do with more power (a job that the 300bhp S3 Sedan reviewed overleaf performs with relish), though the 200Nm on offer, available from just 1400rpm, makes it more than adequate for the rigours of our frequent start-and-stop traffic.

However, what potential buyers will be more interested in is that despite the A3 Sedan’s entry-level positioning (and pricing), it’s remarkably well appointed. LED cabin lights, cruise control, satellite navigation, xenon headlights and LED tail-lights are standard.

Audi A3 Sedan Review 3 It’s hard to fault the A3 Sedan, except that the road noise from the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT tyres is somewhat more intrusive than it should be. Apart from that minor flaw, the A3 Sedan makes a strong case for itself in the compact premium car category, and usefully, it’s around $25,000 cheaper than its main rival, the Mercedes-Benz CLA180.

At $165,550, it’s a bargain, considering you’re not paying that much more over your average Japanese saloon, or for that matter, something more German, like a Volkswagen Jetta. The A3 Sedan is proof the COE re-categorisation isn’t exactly working as planned, and judging by the way the recent COE biddings have ended up (the gap between a COE Categories A and B is less than $5,000), it seems we’re right back at square one.

Audi A3 Sedan Review 4